Page 17 - Cavalry Regiment

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
17
A live update from the gym
AGC on numerous occasions demon- strated that you can take the man out the Gurkhas but not the Gurkha out of the man and the Sqn as a whole main- tained an offensive spirit to be proud of as counter attack after counter attack sought to slowly unpick the enemy dur- ing the various engagements.
The end of Wessex Storm heralded the departure of SQMS SSgt Rhys Davies who moved to the QM Dept to be replaced by SSgt Fisher returning from posting in Bovington. No opportunity was to be squandered as the Sqn con- tinued crunching through crucial individual courses to enable the Sqn and Regiment to be prepared for the challenges that await us on Wessex Storm 1/20 (WS 1/20) and beyond. This started with the Platform Weapon Operators Course led by Lt George Barham and supported superbly by Sgt Karl O’Brien, consisting of two weeks of instruction followed by a week of ranges during which we qualified 23 crewmen and also had the privilege of hosting the Austrian Ambassador who clearly enjoyed getting behind the .50 cal again many years after his national service. Sgt Glyn Williams led the Regiment’s drive in the delivery of snipers by supporting numerous sniper cadres, the final of which was convened by the Regiment with six QDG (half the course) on it ably supported by B Sqn’s very own Cpl Brown.
Within the space of a few weeks B Sqn regained a fleet of vehicles to manage courtesy of the Land Training Fleet and the challenge thereof to get them fit ready for Ex WS 1/20 and in support of the Regiment’s drive to readiness. With vehicles on the tank park it gave a great sense of purpose to daily camp routine with the LAD led by SSgt Jules Davidson
Within the space of a few weeks B Sqn regained a fleet of vehicles to manage...
The progression across the two weeks was rewarding for
all...
doing brilliantly to support both B and C Sqn in the drive for availability and the Sqn personnel supporting level one activ- ity equally well not least of all Tpr Moore 318 whose previous career as a vehicle mechanic proved a huge benefit. As if pre- planned however, as the vehicles arrived the majority of the Sqn’s Commanders and Drivers disappeared off to exercise on the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer and support RHQ’s Combined Arms Staff Trainer. CATT proved, as ever, brilliant at working through the processes and procedures that we will put into action in the rain and cold of Ex WS 1/20. The progression across the two weeks was rewarding for all and, even when only 20% of the Sqn was combat effective at the end of a particularly hazardous delay, the individual and team effort was clear. LCpl Pritchard and Tpr Kenny even brought a tear to the CATT SO2’s eye as, without any main armament left and numerous ‘injuries’, they proceeded to ram the advancing BTR-80s winning a ‘virtual VC’ between them.
As we sprinted towards Christmas the focus was on four things: preparation for Readiness (a host of Administrative and Training targets to be met), vehicle and equipment availability, sweep up training on the vehicles and importantly having fun while accomplishing it all. The Sqn sent nine on the football tour and four on the Rugby team’s tour of Wales while Lt Seb Maxwell and Sgt Jamie Chater planned and executed a challenging PNCO Cadre on behalf of the Regiment with B Sqn’s own Tpr Parsons receiving Top Student after an impressive perfor- mance, particularly considering he had only been in the Regt for seven months. Roll on Christmas week at the Regiment and at last B Sqn, for the first time since
They’re not even twins
Ex WS 4/19, were complete in camp allowing us all to celebrate Regimental Christmas together – but not before Sgt Comley had led the B Sqn effort in the Regimentally organised conceptual training which included several demon- strations on the backdoor training area involving a Tp of B Sqn. Christmas Day itself and the Best Fancy-Dress dur- ing PT went to Tpr Gale whose Minion costume was carried off with comic per- fection, Sgt Bob Comley was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Trophy, awarded to the best sergeant in the Regiment, a superb accolade to all his hard work and Tpr Moore 318 received a Regimental Gerber for his exceptional performance over the year. Tied to this was also the award to LCpl Lewis of his UK Armed Forces Under 23 Cap, a superb achieve- ment with a bright future in rugby ahead. In the last week we were also blessed with the arrival of two further troopers straight out of training. It is reassuring to see first hand the quality of recruit Bovington appears to be producing. Finally, and slipping in with the New Years Honours List, WO2 Dale Thomas was awarded a Commander Field Army 3* Commendation for his exceptional per- formance over the last year in challeng- ing circumstances, suffice to say that where there has been B Sqn success the SSM has been the bedrock upon which it is all built.
Another busy year? Of course it was but this is ‘good busy’ with soldiers expe- riencing things many of their civilian friends can only wonder about and who watch them in awe. As 2020 approaches with an operational deployment in the offing the ‘Why’ is clear which offers an immeasurable boost to the morale and feeling of purposefulness to the soldiers. The Sqn look forward to the challenges that 2020 and beyond brings.
BCJM